Instant operating coilless relay

ABSTRACT

A relay of coilless type wherein there are a pair of spaced apart conductor posts, and a resistance wire therebetween carrying an electric current from one post to the other, in series with operating coil or resistor, causing the wire to heat up and expand so to release a phosphor bronze spring strip which is pulled sidewardly by a permanent magnet due to small piece of steel shim stock being bent around the phosphor bronze spring strip.

United States Patent Drathschmidt 1451 July 11,1972

[54] INSTANT OPERATING COILLESS RELAY [72] Inventor: Carl J. Drathschmidt, 57 Sullivan St., New

York, NY. 10012 [22] Filed: March 2, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 120,109

[52] U.S. Cl. ..337/134, 335/141 [51] Iut.Cl ,.H0lh51/00,H0lh61/06,H01h 71/18 [58] FieldofSearch ..335/141;337/130, 131, 134

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,172,666 9/1939 Michel ..335/141 2,674,730 4/1954 Klebanoffetal ..335/141X 2,699,161 1/1955 Pees ..337/134 X 2,252,003 8/1941 Harmon 1,399,226 12/1921 Rhodes ..337/134 X Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gilheany Assistant Examiner-Dewitt M. Morgan Attorney-Carl Miller ABSTRACT A relay of coilless type wherein there are a pair of spaced apart conductor posts, and a resistance wire therebetween carrying an electric current from one post to the other, in series with operating coil or resistor, causing the wire to heat up and expand so to release a phosphor bronze spring strip which is pulled sidewardly by a permanent magnet due to small piece of steel shim stock being bent around the phosphor bronze spring strip.

3 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures INSTANT OPERATING COILLESS RELAY This invention relates generally to electrical relays. More specifically it relates to a relay of coilless type.

A principle object of the present invention is to provide a relay of coilless type which is instant operating.

Another object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which does not employ a bi-metallic strip but which utilizes a new and novel principle for throwing a leaft spring.

Yet another object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which is adaptable for numerous electrical instruments which instant operation is desirable, such as on annunciators, burglar alarms, controllers, computers, elevators and the like.

Yet a further object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which can be utilized where ever any ordinary relay is used with a resistor in series or an operating magnet.

Yet a further object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which can have multiple making or breaking contacts.

Yet a further object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which can be used for heavy duty with heavy resistance wire and contacts, and large silver contacts.

Still a further object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which can be incorporated with either a permanent magnet or an electro magnet for holding operation.

Still a further object is to provide an instant operating coilless relay which can be installed with other like relays in a straight line battery so to be all able to be reset by a single sliding bar, as can be used on an annunciator.

Other objects are to provide an instant operating coilless relay which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

F IG. 1 is a plan view of a control panel showing a series of instant operating coilless relays in operative position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the relays.

FIG. 3 is a side view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents an instant operating coilless relay according to the present invention wherein there are a pair of spaced apart conductor posts 11 and 12 that are stationarily mounted upon a panel 13 made of electrically non-conductive material. A thin resistance wire 14 is connected at its one end to the conductor post 11, the opposite end of the wire being secured to a sleeve 15 that is freely rotatable about post 12 so to carry an electrical current between the conductor posts.

A flat phosphorous bronze leaf spring strip 16 is soldered near its one end 17 to a side of the sleeve 15, the opposite end 18 of the strip being forked to form a long tongue 19 and a short tongue 20; the tongue 19 being in a position so to snap against the side of the post 11. The strip 16 is made of phosphor spring bronze material. It is to be noted in the drawing that the end 17 of the strip 16 is permanently bent to form a short arcuate arm that is generally at a right angle respective to the remaining main body portion of the strip. It is to be further noted that the resistance wire 14 does not extend directly in a straight line between the post 11 and sleeve 15 but extends around the outer side of the arm end 17 of the strip 16 and then is passed through an opening 21 made through the strip 16 so that the terminal end thereof is soldered to the sleeve 15. Thus the arm end 17 serves as a lever for being activated by the wire 14 to pivot the strip so that the tongue snaps against the posts 11 and 25.

A cotter pin 22 through the end of post 12 serves to retain the sleeve 15 around the post 12.

A small piece of steel shim stock 23 is folded around a middle of the main body portion of the strip 16 and which is in alignment to snap against a side of a permanent magnet, or electromagnet post 24 stationarily mounted on the panel 13.

A short length of contact post 25 is also stationarily mounted upon panel 13, the post 25 being contacted by the short tongue 20 when the strip 16 is snapped. This can operate any electrical device.

In operative use, it will now be apparent that the resistance wire 14 carrying an electric current between the posts 11 and 12 will become heated up and expand so to release its taunt hold of the strip 16 and thus permit magnetic force from the permanent or electro magnet post 24 to pull the steel shim stock 23 toward itself in a snapping action, thus causing tongue 19 to contact the post 11, and tongue 20 to contact the post 25. Tongue 19 when contacting with post 11 short circuits the resistance wire.

In the drawing, FIG. 2 illustrates the strip in an open position. In FIG. 1 all of the battery of relays 10 are likewise shown in an open position except the end-most relay on the right end which is shown snapped in a closed position.

FIG. 1 illustrates an application of the invention on a control panel 26 wherein a battery of relays 10 are shown in a straight row, so that they may be activated by a solenoid 27 for being reset all together at one time after having been snapped closed. The control panel also carries a row of lamps 28 for visually indicating the closed relays, for use as for announciators with lights.

The solenoid 27 comprises a component of a re-setting mechanism 29 that includes a slidable, elongated bar 30 that is secured to the armature 31 of the solenoid by a screw 32, the bar being positioned upon the surface of panel 13 and being held slidably free under brackets 33 secured on panel 13. The bar according extends under the row of relays 10. A series of posts 34 mounted upon bar 30 are placed so that each one of the posts34 will push against the side 35 of the stock 23 when the bar is pulled by the solenoid in the direction as indicated by the arrow 36 thereby releasing hold of stock 23 from the magnet post 24 and resetting all of the relays. A tension coil spring 37 is anchored at one end to a screw 38 and is secured in the panel 13 thereby serves to return the bar 30 into a start position after the solenoid has pulled it into the opposite direction.

It is also to be understood that this device can also be used by a manual or mechanical reset.

While certain novel features of my invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An instant operating coilless relay, comprising in combination, a pair of spaced apart conductor posts, a magnet post, and a contact post all mounted on an insulation panel, one end of a resistance wire secured at one end to a first of said conductor posts, the other end of said wire being secured to a pivotable strip assembly mounted pivotally free on the second of said conductor posts, and magnetic responsive means secured to said strip assembly whereby said strip assembly is pivoted toward said magnet post, said strip assembly comprising a phosphor bronze spring strip having an arcuate arm at one end, an opposite end thereof being forked to form tongues one of which is engagable with said first conductor post and the other of which is engagable with said contact post, said strip being secured to a sleeve fitted pivotally free on said second conductor post, and said wire extending around the outer side of said arm and being connected to said sleeve, and said phosphor bronze spring strip being secured to armature means.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said magnetic responsive means comprises a steel shim folded around a center of said strip and which is engagable with said magnet post when said strip assembly is pivoted, so to hold contacts tight.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a slidable bar is secured to a solenoid armature, a post on said bar being adaptable to reset said strip assembly by disengaging contact of said shim from said magnet post when said bar slides toward said solenoid against the force of a resetting tension spring pulling at the opposite end of said bar.

* *k il 

1. An inStant operating coilless relay, comprising in combination, a pair of spaced apart conductor posts, a magnet post, and a contact post all mounted on an insulation panel, one end of a resistance wire secured at one end to a first of said conductor posts, the other end of said wire being secured to a pivotable strip assembly mounted pivotally free on the second of said conductor posts, and magnetic responsive means secured to said strip assembly whereby said strip assembly is pivoted toward said magnet post, said strip assembly comprising a phosphor bronze spring strip having an arcuate arm at one end, an opposite end thereof being forked to form tongues one of which is engagable with said first conductor post and the other of which is engagable with said contact post, said strip being secured to a sleeve fitted pivotally free on said second conductor post, and said wire extending around the outer side of said arm and being connected to said sleeve, and said phosphor bronze spring strip being secured to armature means.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said magnetic responsive means comprises a steel shim folded around a center of said strip and which is engagable with said magnet post when said strip assembly is pivoted, so to hold contacts tight.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a slidable bar is secured to a solenoid armature, a post on said bar being adaptable to reset said strip assembly by disengaging contact of said shim from said magnet post when said bar slides toward said solenoid against the force of a resetting tension spring pulling at the opposite end of said bar. 